How to Cancel a Discover Credit Card

This article was co-authored by Michael R. Lewis. Michael R. Lewis is a retired corporate executive, entrepreneur, and investment advisor in Texas. He has over 40 years of experience in Business & Finance.

There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

There may come a time when you no longer need your Discover credit card. Whatever your reason for cancellation, canceling your Discover credit card is a simple process that can be done over the phone or by mail. Before you cancel your card you will want to prepare some information to make the process go smoothly.

Consider deactivation. If you plan on reactivating your card in the future you might want to consider deactivation. Cancellation will permanently disable your credit card. Deactivation will render it unusable for a certain length of time, allowing you to use it once again at a later date.[1]

Deactivation allows future use of your card.

Cancellation is permanent. You won't be able to use your card again.

Can you please put wikiHow on the whitelist for your ad blocker? wikiHow relies on ad money to give you our free how-to guides. Learn how.

Redeem your rewards before canceling. If your Discover card offers rewards that you have accumulated over the life of your card you may want to redeem these rewards before cancellation. If you cancel your card before redeeming your rewards they will still be credited to your account.[2]

Have your account information ready. Before you call to cancel your card you will want to gather any relevant information that you might need. Having this information ready will allow your representative to help you quickly and accurately.[3]

Have account and card numbers ready.

You may need to have your social security number ready to present to your representative.

Don't worry about paying off a balance. Canceling your card can be done even if you still have a remaining balance. Any debt leftover after the cancellation can be paid off as if it were a regular credit bill.[4][5]

If you still have a balance, you can still cancel your card.

Any payments made after your cancellation will be made as if it were a regular payment.

Consider your credit score. Canceling your Discover credit card can have an effect on your credit score. Before you cancel, you should understand what effect the cancellation might have and how you can minimize any negative impact.[6]

Canceling your credit card will not erase a credit score.

If your card is one of your oldest held credit cards, canceling it can make your credit history appear shorter and lower your credit score.[7]

Call Discover directly. In order to cancel your Discover credit card you will need to call Discover directly and speak with a representative. When you make your call, you will work with the representative you are connected with to finalize your cancellation.[8][9]

Call (800)-DISCOVER if you live in the United States to contact customer service.

You may also find customer service contact information on the back of your credit card.

Cancel by mail. If you are unable to cancel by phone, you may also cancel your Discover credit card by mail. This will require you to send a written request for cancellation, along with your account information, to Discover through the mail.[10]

Destroy your credit card. After you have canceled your Discover credit card successfully and you have received confirmation that it has been canceled you will want to destroy the card. Shredding the card and disposing of it will help protect your identity and avoid credit card theft.

Using a cross-cutting shredder to destroy your card is ideal.

If you don't have access to a shredder, you can cut the card with scissors. Make sure the pieces are as small as you can get them.

I canceled my Discover card 3 times and I still get statement notices. Why?

Donagan

Top Answerer

If your account is truly closed, they will eventually get tired of wasting paper and postage, and stop mailing notices to you. Cut up your card, throw it away, and forget about it. (If statements continue to arrive, there may still be a balance owed, meaning the account is not really closed.)

About This Article

This article was co-authored by Michael R. Lewis. Michael R. Lewis is a retired corporate executive, entrepreneur, and investment advisor in Texas. He has over 40 years of experience in Business & Finance.